


Tournament Mayhem

by StariWolfe



Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, hooo boy here we go, this was extremely self indulgent and it was a lot of fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-29 04:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18771061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StariWolfe/pseuds/StariWolfe
Summary: A fighting tournament is being held near the Vigil keep, and Altair Stormrender is competing and Vesper Aequorea comes along to watch. But one of the other competitors is not too happy about his loss, and resorts to some foul play for revenge.





	Tournament Mayhem

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm not sure if this is actually canon to my Guild Wars 2 story yet, but I really wanted to write this. We'll see how War Eternal ends and then I'll decide if this is canon lol. Character images are on nocte-argentea on tumblr!

The clash of swords and shouts of fighters filled the air near the Vigil Keep. Around the area of Snowblind Peaks, a tournament was being held in Vollym’s fight pit. Merchants had tents filled with armor, weapons, food, and trinkets for tournament watchers and participants alike. The atmosphere was festive, and while many people browsed the market, most of the attendants were crowded around the pit, watching the fighters battle for the win.

And naturally, Altair was participating in the tournament.

He used to do fights like this all the time before he joined the Vigil. He always thought of it as a good way to train for his Wyld Hunt. Not only that, the coin if he won wasn’t bad either. His bouts paid off, thankfully. By the time he joined the Vigil, he was an incredible fighter and the various enemies he faced were no longer a match for him. Well, mostly, anyway. The dragons took a little more effort than most enemies. Just a little, though.

Speaking of his fighting skills, he quickly disarmed his current opponent and swiftly knocked him on the ground. Before he could get up, Altair moved the point of his greatsword just under his chin, preventing movement. The referee declared him the winner, and began to go get the next fighters of the semi-finals. 

The sylvari warrior removed his sword and extended a hand to the prone charr, offering his help to get him off the ground in a show of good sportsmanship. Thankfully, the charr accepted, and they shook hands before moving out of the arena. Altair walked over to the bench that had been reserved for him, sitting down and taking a long drink from his tankard of ice water. Fighting like this again was incredibly fun, but so much fighting at once was a bit tiring.

“Enjoying yourself, mate?”

Altair looked up to see his commander, Vesper Aequorea, smiling down at him. She had tagged along with him to watch him compete. She was more interested in the shops and drinks than the actual tournament, but she had made sure so far to watch all of his matches, to his heart’s delight. He smirked and shot her a wink.

“Of course. It’s even better knowing a beautiful woman is watching me win.” She rolled her eyes and looked away, trying to hide her red face. He never got tired making her flustered. “Here, come sit with me. Have you enjoyed yourself, today? I know watching fights really isn’t your favorite thing.”

“Aye, it’s not. But I like watching you win.” She sat down on the bench and faced him. “Besides, being able to find all these neat knick knacks is worth me tagging along. Did you know they have crystal daggers here? They’re breathtaking! Here, look at this one I bought!” 

She pulled her prize out and let him view it. It was a beautiful weapon, more for decoration than fighting, though its edge was still as sharp as ice. The crystal that was used to make the blade was an aqua blue that changed to a lighter blue in the middle and turned white at the point. It reminded the sylvari of the sea, so it was incredibly fitting for Vesper, and as she said, it was breathtaking.

Not as breathtaking as its wielder in Altair’s opinion, though.

“You’re right, that’s a gorgeous blade.” He continued to look over it, eyes wide with wonder.

“Isn’t it? They had one that reminded me of the night sky, but it was a bit too expensive for my funds today. But I like this one just as well.” Vesper put the blade away, hidden near her waist. “Anyway, back to the fights. Who is your next opponent going to be?”

“Well, let’s see here.” He grabbed the paper displaying the fighters in the tournament. “Either a human thief named Shane or...a skritt named Tikki. I’ve heard that Shane is a former pirate and that the skritt is incredibly good for one of his race, so this should be an amusing outcome, regardless of if I win.” 

“I’m surprised they even let a skritt compete. They’ve had trouble with skritt trying to bet their shinies and then not wanting to give them up if they lose.”

“I feel the same. But I’m glad for the diversity.” Altair started giggling a bit. “There’s not even a profession listed for the skritt. It just says ‘Tikki-skritt-skritt.’”

It was clear to him that Vesper found this highly amusing. She was covering her mouth, rather adorably, and was failing to hide her mirth. She got herself under control and looked back at him.

“That’s the most amusing thing I’ve heard all day. Want to go watch it?”

Before Altair could even answer, he heard the referee call the match, declaring the human as the winner. He grimaced. He was hoping to talk to Vesper some more.

“Seems we’re a bit late for that. Well, it’s time for the finals. Can I have a kiss for good luck?” He winked at her again with a smile, knowing full well what her reaction would be.

“Absolutely not. Go fight your fight, mate. I’ll be waiting for you.” She turned away again, trying to hide her embarrassment. Altair gave a hearty laugh and turned away to start making his way back to the arena. Before he could take even a step though, he felt Vesper’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Something you need, Vess?” He turned and asked her, wondering what she needed. He was surprised to find her standing on the bench. This was unusual of her. 

“I changed my mind.” Before he could ask what she meant, she leaned in and planted a simple kiss on his forehead. Altair starting blushing bright blue, not expecting that at all.

“O-Oh...u-uh…”

“You wanted good luck, right? Hopefully you’ve got it now.” She smiled at him and hopped off the bench. “I’ll be watching you. I believe in you, mate!” With that, she made her way to the spectator stands to watch the final round. Altair looked around to make sure no one was present before leaning his back against a wall, hand over his heart and a huge smile over his face. Out of everyone he’d ever flirted with or even was attracted to, only Vesper could make him feel like that. 

The sylvari heard the ref call for him, and he made his way to the arena, walking on air and ready to face his opponent. As he was walking to the arena, he heard the spectators talking about his next match. Apparently, this Shane person was a force to be reckoned with. As a thief, he was likely to be quick and stealth himself during the fight. Hopefully his sparring matches with Vesper and Luna would help him out here.

He walked into the arena, on the opposite side of his opponent. He quickly looked into the stands to try to find the blue-haired commander within the crowds. He spotted her near the center of the stands, cheering loudly for him. He smiled and faced the center of the arena, ready to get this fight underway. He had someone to impress, after all.

Shane was short for a human man. He seemed a bit scrawny, too, but Vesper wasn’t physically strong either, and she kicked Altair’s ass every time they had a practice fight. Not only that, he could see a conniving look in this man’s eyes, and he didn’t like it. He was not about to underestimate this man.

“Alright, boys, I want a good, clean fight, you hear me?” The referee, an asura, told the two fighters the same thing that he’d repeated before every match. “You know the rules. Ready to start?” Both men nodded. Altair faced Shane and gave him a nod of acknowledgement.

“May the best man win.”

“Oh, I will. I’m not gonna lose to a plant.” Shane looked at Altair with an ugly sneer. Oh joy, it was one of those days, apparently. He didn’t let his emotions get the better of him, though. That was a sure fire way to lose this match.

“Ready…” Altair raised his sword and Shane readied his daggers. “...FIGHT!”

 

It was a hard fought fight, but in the end, Altair’s training with Vesper paid off. He’d disarmed Shane and had his sword at his throat, winning the match.

As the ref called the match, Altair extended his hand to the human for good sportsmanship. Shane apparently didn’t care for that, and moved it away before getting up on his own and leaving the arena. Well, if he wanted to be a sore loser, that was his choice. He figured he should probably keep an eye on him, though. No telling if that man would try and get revenge or something.

He collected his prize money and wove his way into the crowd, searching for Vesper. He was certain she’d like to congratulate him, and he may or may not have wanted to show off his prize money. She was a former pirate, after all, and she still loved treasure with a passion. Before he got too far, something caught his eye.

A dagger made of crystal that looked like the night sky. That was the blade that Vesper had mentioned earlier. He looked at the price. No wonder she’d gotten a cheaper one; it was pretty expensive for something that size. But he’d just won a hefty sum, and along with what money he brought along, he’d have plenty for the blade and some to spare. Without a second thought, he purchased the dagger for the commander and went back to looking for her.

It was a minute or two before he found her, eating some food she’d bought at a table near the food tents. She looked up and noticed him, throwing away her finished meal and started to walk his direction. But before the two could reach one another, someone walked up to Vesper and blocked her view. Altair’s blood ran cold. It was Shane.

He was having trouble weaving through the crowds here, as they were much thicker now that the tourney was over. He kept his eye on the two as they conversed. From what he could see, Vesper was highly uncomfortable, and her eyes kept darting around the area, supposedly looking for him. Her eyes finally found him, and she mouthed one word in his direction.

“Help.”

He was getting closer, but before he could intervene, Shane wrapped an arm around the commander’s shoulders, a sickening smile on his face, and forcefully pulled her away from the crowd. This was not good. Altair felt his fears rising. If anything happened to Vesper...He had to move quickly. There’s no telling what Shane would try to do to her to get revenge on him.

Shane had pulled Vesper into an alleyway that was away from the crowds. Altair made his way to the area, but he was stopped before he got there.

“Altair! Good show today! Going to stay the night at the keep, I expect?” He was surprised to see Laranthir here. He supposed he was watching the tourney today too.

“Possibly, but I can’t talk right now.” A thought popped into his head. “Laranthir, someone highly suspicious pulled the commander into that old alleyway. I’m going to apprehend him, but I don’t know if he has others with him. Think you could fetch some of the Vigil and give me some backup?”

“Sure thing. Try to stall if you can, I shouldn’t be long.” With that, Laranthir made his way towards the Vigil members loitering about. Altair hoped dearly that he’d be quick.

He finally reached the alleyway. He quietly snuck to the outside of it and quickly peered in. His blood froze; Shane had five of his cohorts there, and they had Vesper’s hands bound behind her back and a gag in her mouth. One of the brigands was holding her hands in place while she struggled. He could hear the leader from his position.

“I was expecting the great commander put up more of a fight. You aren’t that special when your weapons are taken, are you?” He leaned in close to her face and sneered. “Your little friend made a fool of me today, and you’re just what I need to show him what happens when someone crosses me.”

Vesper tried to headbutt him, but the other man held her firmly in place. Shane laughed again, and it made Altair sick.

“Oho! Look at who has some fire. Tough luck for you, girly. You aren’t going anywhere.” He drew a knife, either to slice Vesper’s skin or clothing open. Altair looked to where Laranthir had disappeared to, and saw that he’d gotten at least five other Vigil crusaders to join him. They were headed towards the alley, so he figured that now would be as good of a time as any to make himself known. He couldn’t let them decide on what to do to the commander. He walked in plain sight and drew his sword.

“Well, Shane, I figured you’d be a better sport than this.” The five men whirled around, apparently surprised to see the sylvari warrior. At least he had that going for him, they’d take a moment to register his presence and words. A bit sooner than he liked, Shan recovered and smiled sickeningly at him.

“So nice of you to join us, Mr. Stormrender, but I’m afraid you’re too late. We outnumber you five to one. So what exactly do you plan to do?” The man moved his knife to Vesper’s throat. Vesper’s eyes were filled with anger, until she gained that look that she always had before pulling a prank on someone-

He realized she had an idea. And the Vigil was almost here. Now would be the perfect time to act.

“Oh, I don’t think I’ll have to do much.” Before Shane could ask him any more questions, Vesper kicked her leg up with as much force as she could muster, and her foot landed right between Shanes legs. The man crumpled to the ground, and in the stunned silence that followed, Laranthir came with the Vigil and dealt with the rest of them. Altair moved to Vesper and removed the gag from her mouth.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” He placed his hand on her shoulders. By the Pale Mother, that scared him.

“No, I’m alright. A bit shaken, but not too badly. Care to untie me, mate?” He obliged, and soon the commander had retrieved her weapons and was back in fighting shape. Or so she insisted, anyway. But Altair could tell that this affected her more than she was letting on. He knew her.

“Laranthir, a favor.” Altair signaled to the other sylvari. “I think the two of us will stay at the keep tonight, if that’s alright. Can you make sure my old quarters are ready and an extra bed is moved in there?”

“Of course it’s alright. I’ll get everything squared up right away.” The Vigil’s second in command headed in the direction of the keep, while the rest of the crusaders present ushered the subdued criminals towards their dungeons. Altair turned back to his friend, who was unusually quiet.

“Are you sure you’re alright? We can walk around the festival more if you want.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ve had enough for today. Good thing we brought a change of clothes and some comfortable clothes, huh?” She dodged the question. Not unusual for her. He’d talk to her more once they were alone.

“Indeed. Here, let’s head up to the keep. It’s nearly dark anyway. Some rest would be very welcome after recent events.”

The two made their way up to the Vigil keep, speaking little. Both were exhausted after today’s events. By the time they reached the keep proper, night had fallen and the stars were shining. Altair asked a crusader to escort Vesper and take their items up to his quarters, while he went to talk to Laranthir for a moment. He wanted to ask a favor of him, and to give Vesper some time to change into her more comfortable clothes without him around.

“Laranthir, I’ve one more favor to ask of you.”

“Depends, what is it?”

“Can you make sure Vesper and I are left alone? I’m sure she’s more shaken than she’s let on, and I’m exhausted.”

“Sure thing. I doubt anyone would bother you regardless, but I’ll make sure of it.”

Altair thanked him and started on the way to his quarters. Once he reached the door, he knocked and waited for Vesper to let him in. She opened the door, and he noticed that she’d changed into a white, short-sleeved button up and some trousers. He walked in and closed the door behind him, locking it and going to his bags to get his change.

“So, exactly how shaken are you?” He asked her as he got his comfy clothes. His regular outfit was extremely dirty now; it’d need a wash before he wore it again.

“I told you, mate, I’m quite alright!” The commander moved to the window, looking out at the stars over Gendarran Fields. “I’m a bit shaken, but I’ll be alright.”

“I’m sure. But I know you. How bad is it?”

“I just told you, I…” He heard her sigh. “...I was terrified. I’m much better now, though, I promise. Shaken, a little more than I said earlier, but I’m alright, now. I promise.”

“I still don’t believe you.” He finished changing while she was facing the window. He had changed into a long-sleeved, black button up, and also trousers. He didn’t feel like buttoning up the whole thing, so he fastened the bottom few buttons and left the rest open, leaving his chest bare. Before putting the old clothes away, he grabbed his gift for her. “You know you can vent to me, Vesper. Please don’t hold it in.”

“I…” She turned and walked over to the bed that had been brought up to the room and sat down. “It was terrifying, being helpless like that and not knowing where you were. I’ve been tied up enough that that doesn’t bother me anymore, especially since I can escape most binds, but with that brute holding my hands, it was...highly unpleasant.”

Altair walked over to her and sat down next to her. He knew she was more affected by that than she let on.

“Not only that, but it made me feel useless. I know I’m good at fighting, but being unable to do anything was really infuriating.” She stared morosely at the floor.

“If anyone tries to tell you that you can’t fight, they’ve obviously never seen you fight. You’re the best in the guild.” He put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting squeeze. 

“Except for Nocte. I think we can both agree on that.”

“Okay, fine, except for Nocte. But she’s a class all her own.”

“Fair. I was so glad when you showed up. I was worried you’d lost sight of me.” She looked up at him. He noticed that she’d removed her eyepatch. It always made his heart flutter to see both of her eyes, as she only went without it around people she trusted. Plus, her eyes were beautiful.

“I didn’t fancy taking on five guys on my own. That was a fight I couldn’t win and I knew that your safety relied on my success. So I asked Laranthir for back up.”

“I’m glad you did. I’d be heartbroken if anything happened to you, mate.”

“Oh? Is that a love declaration I hear?” He shot a sassy smile her way, wiggling his eyebrows. Even as upset as she was, Vesper couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“You’re a horrible person, mate! Here we are, having a heart to heart, and what do you do? You whip out your flirting, you piece of shit!” She laid back on the bed, trying to get her giggles under control.

“It made you laugh, which is what I wanted. So I think I did a fairly good job.”

“I appreciate it, mate.” She stood and made her way back to the window. “I do feel better now, at least. And look-the stars over Gendarran are beautiful tonight.” That reminded Altair of his gift.

“Oh, that reminds me. I have something for you.” She looked at him quizzically as he drew the blade from behind him. She walked over to where he sat, and he handed her the dagger. Her eyes widened as she drew it from the sheath.

“Wait, this is-”

“That’s the one you wanted, right? I know you like your blue one, too, but I know how much you love the stars. Besides, it reminds of you. I thought it fitting.” 

Vesper stared at the blade for several seconds before smiling and looking at Altair.

“It is what I wanted. Bless your soul, mate, you’re a sweetheart. But I also know how much it cost; are you gonna-”

“I used some of my prize money and I have plenty left. I’d say it was a good purchase if you’re that happy about it.” The sylvari leaned back on his hands, satisfied that he’d made her feel a bit better. She gave him a quick hug, and moved to put the dagger along with her other items.

“Man, the strangest things happen when you least expect it. I let my guard down for one day, and I was almost kidnapped or tortured and you gave me the loveliest gift.”

That caught him by surprise.

“You? Let your guard down? That’s odd for you.” Vesper was always vigilant. Even in the moments when she was with her closest friends, she always kept an eye on her surroundings.

“Well, I feel-” She stopped abruptly, unnaturally almost. “The festive air got to me. You know how much I love festivals, even if watching fights isn’t quite my thing.” Altair could understand that. He often felt intoxicated by the festivities whenever Tyria’s various events rolled around.

But he knew she wasn’t being completely honest with him. She was a magnificent actress, but he’d heard her nearly say something else.

“I know what that feels like. But you were about to say something completely different, weren’t you?” She froze. Seems he hit the nail on the head.

“...Perhaps. But it’s nothing important. Don’t pay it any mind.” She wasn’t facing him, just standing near her bags. Wait a moment, was that a blush she was trying to hide?

He slowly stood and walked to where she was, not turning her around, instead facing her back.

“I know you better than that. Please, what were you about to say? You know you can trust me.” He was almost hurt that she wasn’t telling him everything. But Vesper was pretty similar to a night-bloom sylvari; the fact that she shared as much as she did with him was amazing.

She turned her head towards him slightly, acknowledging his presence but still not looking directly at him. She seemed to steel herself before taking a deep breath and speaking.

“I was about to say that...that I feel safe when I’m around you.”

Altair felt as if the world stopped moving.

Vesper never felt safe. It was one of the reasons why he stuck around her so much, besides the fact that they’re best friends and he was hopelessly in love with her. He’d known that she felt a little better whenever her was around, but her actually feeling safe enough with him to let her guard down…

That was a huge statement, and not one to be taken lightly.

“Did I...hear you right? You actually feel safe around me?” He put his hand on her shoulder once again, and she placed hers on top of it.

“Yes, Altair. You heard me right.” She was blushing. He was certain of it now.

Now might be an opportune moment.

He gingerly turned her around, so he could talk to her face rather than her back. He’d much rather see her face than the back of her shirt. 

“That’s not something you say easily. In fact, that makes me a bit curious.” He took a step towards her, gently guiding her backwards. “Do I make you feel any other things?”

“I-I...Uh…” She still wasn’t meeting his eyes. He’d try to fix that in a moment.

Soon, Vesper’s back was against the wall, and Altair was very, very close. He had one arm leaning on the wall, the other at his side, thumb tucked into his pocket. He wanted to give her an avenue of escape if he was mistaken about her possible feelings.

But, thinking back on several of their moments, he doubted he was wrong.

“If I’m out of line, Vess, please tell me. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable.” She still wasn’t meeting his eyes, but she didn’t say to stop, and her body language was that of nervousness, not discomfort. He’d keep the path open, though.

“You know, I was terrified today. When I saw Shane leading you away like that…” He took his hand he had in his pocket and brought it to her face, carefully tucking a bit of her hair behind her ear. “...I nearly began to panic. I was so scared of what he might’ve done to you. I’m glad I had enough sense to ask Laranthir for backup. I’m...frightened to think about what may have happened if I’d gone in without help.”

Altair heard her gasp, quiet as could be. She lifted her head slightly, looking more towards his chest than the floor now. Him admitting he was scared of something was just as rare as her admitting she felt safe. He continued speaking.

“You and I have shared several moments together. And several of those nearly escalated further than just hanging out as friends and companions. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He took the hand he used to move her strand of hair and put a finger under her chin, making her look him in the eyes. “I’m incredibly lucky to have such a kind, adorable, beautiful woman be my friend, and I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you.”

She had a sharp intake of breath, and her face was as red as could be. Time to see what the truth is.

“So I ask you: do I make you feel other things? Beyond just feeling safe?”

She blinked, and her eyes drifted from his for a few seconds. It felt like an eternity to Altair. What if he was wrong? What if he just made her uncomfortable? What if he’d shattered her trust in him?

But, slowly, ever so slowly, she met his eyes again, and she gave him the shyest smile he’d ever seen. By the Pale Mother, he loved this woman.

“You make me feel...a lot of things, Altair.” 

The sylvari chuckled lightly, moving closer and pressing himself against her, leaning in towards her face.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” He leaned his forehead against hers, not breaking away from her gaze. “What exactly do I make you feel?” He was having a very hard time to keep himself from rushing. She was so damned beautiful. She smiled shyly once again, and tried to look away, but Altair’s hand wouldn’t let her. He wanted to look into her gorgeous eyes. With her voice barely even audible, she told him.

“You make me feel loved.”

Altair couldn’t hold himself back after that. As gently as he could, he pressed himself as close to Vesper as possible, let his eyes flutter shut, and pressed his lips to hers.

He’d wanted this for so long. And it was every bit as good as he imagined, if not more so. She was enjoying herself just as much as he was, if the small sounds she was making were any indication. He moved a hand to her cheek, cupping her face. He felt her arms wrap around his neck, and he moved the hand that was holding her chin up and snaked it around her waist, drawing her even closer.

This was bliss in its purest form.

Finally, the the two separated slowly. Their eyes opened and they stared at each other for a moment, before Vesper smiled wider than Altair had ever seen her smile before. She wrapped him in a hug, and he did the same, both of them laughing with huge smiles.

“I’ve never kissed a sylvari before.” Vesper said, her mouth close to his ear. “I’ll be honest: you’re much more pleasant to kiss than any human I’ve kissed.”

“I’m assuming that’s a compliment.” He pulled his head back to look at her. “Vess, I’ve wanted to do that for so long. I’m glad it finally happened. Before I go further, you are okay with that, right? I didn’t overstep any bounds?”

“Aye, you’re fine. Frankly, as long as our clothes stay on for now, and your hands don’t go too far downwards, I’m good with most things.”

“Got it. I can follow that.” He brought her back into a tight hug, loving how warm she felt against him. Sylvari were warm, too, but they didn’t produce nearly as much body heat as the other races.

But knowing her boundaries gave him some ideas.

“So as long as my hands don’t go too far and our clothes stay on, I’m good, right?” He said from where he placed his head on her shoulder. He couldn’t look at her right now; he’d start laughing.

“...mostly. Why?” He supposed that his coy tone made her suspicious. That meant that this would be even more fun.

“Oh, no reason. It’s just that…” Before she could run away from his shenanigans, Altair wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor. He smiled at hearing her squeak of surprise. “...I’ve simply got so many ideas of things for us to do now.” He made his way over to his bed, Vesper laughing and struggling the whole way. He laid her down on it and climbed over her, taking her hands and pinning them above her head.

He stared at the woman below him with love in his eyes.

“Is this alright?” Vesper struggled a bit, but she was still smiling. She stopped for a moment and smirked at him.

“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think I should like feeling pinned as much as I do right now. But I guess if you’re the one holding me down, it’s alright.” She had a playful tone in her voice that sent his heart aflutter.

“Duly noted. On that note...I’d like to continue where we were.” Before she could answer, he leaned down and captured his lips again, the first of many more kisses that night.

**Author's Note:**

> As I said, not sure if this is canon yet but I really wanted to write these two being lovey dovey. I'll probably write more scenarios of them getting together because I love first kiss stuff so we'll see.


End file.
